Method of mining coal



i -H. A. KUHN u .Minion or MINING c oAl; Ammmon m2o ocLzl. ma.

'Patented '15mg'.y 8,1916.

. H. A. KUHN. l METHOD 0F MINING COAL.

f APPLICATION FILED 001121 1913. l l 94,298. Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

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METHOD or MINING coins.v

ing Coal;` and lI do hereby declare the ffolv1' i`\v'ing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion thereof. 1

"'-My inventionrelates'to a method of miniiigmcloal.` y e ob]ect"of my invention is to provide a method of mining coal by means of which the coal, after it has been undercut and shot, may be readily and quickly removed without4 involving the risk of loss ofV life,

. and at the same time dispensing with the an undercut is made on the floor formed by digging of the coa-l'by means of picks, as in the lmethod nowv commonly employe-d.

these ends my invention consists, geny stated, in-ma-king a cut or undercut Ain he solid wall'of coal and expanding the long itslines'of cleavage, substantially fill-ing the space thus provided by the cut Q1`v r undercut, thel Coalsettling down where the -undercut, or lswelling into the cut Wherever made, finally under-mining -the coal-along the line of the original cut, and at the same time conveying it to the point of loading.

In the. accompanying drawings I have illustrated apparatus for carrying im roved method in which- .y igure 1 is a plan view showing the primary cutting or under-cutting unit making the original cut or midercut in the coal,I and the secondary cutting, digging and conveying unit 1n the rear thereof; Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the primary cutting or under- 'cutting unit in normal position on the digging and conveying frame, and the latter advanced to remove the coal; Fig.' 3 is a side elevation of thel Whole digging and conveying machine in operation, the coal having been shot and settled into the original un-l dei-cut; Fig. 4 is aface view of the wall of coal after. it has been undercut andpbefore shooting; Fig. 5 is a like view showingthe coal after `it .has been shot and'expanded along its cleavage line, ready to be removed;

Fig. 6 isv an enlarged plan view of the digare other' forms of same.

ging and conveying unit; Fig. 7 is a .longitudinal section of same; Fig. S isa. section out my ontheiconveyerflight; andFigs. and

Patented ange, 191e.

Application mea october 21, 1913. semi No. 796,497.

or carrying out my improved other forms lof apparatus for carrying out y my improved method.

The numeral 2 designates a suitable frame which may be composed of suitable parts, uniting-to form a rigid construction. This frame is supported in an inclined position,

its rear end being carried by thetruck 3,-

which is provided .with the axle l on which the traction wheels 5 are mounted. The wheels 5 `andthe mechanism for driving same are' housed in the box or casing 6. lVithin the casing 6 on the axle l is the friction sheave 7, which is engaged by the friction sheave 8 on the "shaft 9. This shaft 9 is suspended from the.bars 10, which are pivoted to the bracket 11. A.- toggle inember 12 is connected to the shaft 9, and said toggle is pivoted at 13 to the link 1li, which isfpivoted to the lug 15 on the casing 6. The other end lof the toggle is connected to the crank arm 1G on the stud shaft 1 7, which is mounted on the-bracket 18. To the outer end of the stud shaft/17 is connected the operating lever 19. .It is apparent that byoperatiiig the lever 19 the'toggle member 12 is operatedto move the friction member 8 into or out of Contact with the friction sheave Tito transmit power to the driving wheel 22 of the shaft 523, mounted in the frame. Mounted on the shaft 23 is the worm wheel 21 which'is connected with the worm 25 on the shaft Q6. This shaft 2G has the gear wheel 27, which is engaged b v the pinion 2S on the counter shaft 29. The gear wheel on the shaft 29 is engagedby the driving pinion 31 on the `shaft 32. The shaft 32 has the clutch box 33, adapted to receive the square end of shaft- 34; of the motor 35. This motor, which iii the present Case isv an electric motor, is the driving power .for the primary cutting unit 36, `which mayzbeof the ordinary` construction,

and rear ends of the mining machine frame, said cutter cham being 'driven by power transmitted from the motor to the-driv- 4sprocket Awheel 20a11d around the sprocket sprocket Wheel. V VVlieIr-4 this primary lc 1 1tting unit is mounted on the frame 2of the digging and conveying apparatus, the

motor shaft 34 engages the clutchbox 33, and powerl is'transmitted from the motor to the mechanism for connecting' thev traction wheels 5 and the other parts ofthe mechanism to'be hereafter ,described` The primary cutting unit is provided vwith feed l'by means'of said ropes andthe customary jacks or anchors this mechanism dragsitself off the frame2and back thereon, as well as into and acros's the 'cut when in position for undercutting.

.The numeral 39 indicates the rope drum around whichthe feedrope 40 passes and thefnumeral 41 designates the drum around which the tail rope passes. Customary `pulleys 42, v43', 44' and 45, for -the guiding of the 'feed and tailV ropes are provided. The frame 2'of the digging and conveying apparatus isprovided with'the hook 46, to

. which thefeed rope 40 is connected when theprimary 'cutting unit is-'tobedragged up on the frame 2,- as indicated in Fig. 3.`

The primary cutting unit when up. in this position, with its' motor shafty 34 in en' 'gagementfwith the clutch box 33, forms a power plant for operating the digging and v,conveying apparatus. The primary lcutting unit and the secondary' cutting, digging. and

' conveying unit'form one complete machine .for mining coal.

1 e5 The forward' end of the frame 2 is 'sup-Vy ported by the roller 47, which is fitted to turn inthe manner ofa caster, land aropeof `said frame are the vsprocket,wheels 53..- 5 0 The chain E54 passes varound said ysprocket,

wheels an'dsaid 'chain carries Athe iiights 55 at intervals. The outer ends of the iiig'hts are formed with cutters or diggers', 55', which are adapted to cutor dig under the 5'5 body of coal which has been lowered byv shooting, as fully hereinafter set forth. As

' shown in Fi'g. 8 the cuttersare secured to the flights by means of nuts and bolts which Vproject upwardly and aid in'dislodging the l6 0 coal.. Furthermore'the front .edges gf the' 4flights are beveled to enable them to pass more readily underthe coaland effect a lifting of lthe voverlying mass.

The pan 57 is securedto the 'frame 2 bee6 low the fiights 55, and 'said'fiights are adaptandtail ropes. in the ordinary manner, and.

crank 51,. and by turning this crank in one.

edv 'to travel along `the 'said pan and` convey the coal whichA isdisiodged onto, saidpan' by the action of the diggers or'cutters 55; The rear end of the` pan 'is cutaaiirayas at' l 58, `to permit thef-coal tobe discharged into in? the pit wagon 59, which is located in a f -proper position to .receive the4 coal disj:

charged from said-pan.

' The sprocketwheel 52 is power driven,

being connected up to the motor 35 in the 7.5'.

4following' manner :1AV beveled wheel 60 on said sprocket wheel is, engaged by the beveled pinion 61 on the shaft 26,.which as hereinbe'fore described is connected up byv gearing with the motorshaft.

At the forward end of the frame 2 is a skid 62, whichisf hinged to said lframe at ,63, sc that'when said skid is, not in'use itl may-be thrown 'up intoposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. This skid is em- S5 ployed in dragging the primary cutting unit oif or on to the frame 2; Connected to the frame 2 is the bracket 64, -to Which-the dog 65'is pivoted. This dog is provided with the teeth 66, Vandfits purpose is 4to raise the'front end of the frame 2 'when the .machine meets anobstructionl in lthe ioor yof the mine, so aS to prevent thev jar 'on themachine' and the break# ing of'any ofthe parts, as will more fully 95v .hereinafter appear. f

1 TQ provide for the diuiiig of holes in the seam of coal for the introduction o f an explosive or otherIsubstance'tdexpand the u" coal along its lines of cleavage, the drills -70 are employed. These drills" are con# nected -up'to a fiexible shaft 71 .which in turn is connected up to 'the' shaft 72 ar ranged in bearings 73 at the side of the 'frame 2. Where 'sl`1'aftsf724 are arranged at 105 both sides of the machine theyl are driven by a system of sheaves. The mainsheave' l 741, is driven by the shaft 29 connected by suitable -gearig withy the -motor shaft. 'A belt passes around said' sheave'a-nd 'around 110 72, so that-dri-llringmay' be doneat the same time by; both drills. 1 Y

fIn carrying-out my improved method ofl mining coal with the above described appa- -ratus, the Aprimary cutting .unit is dragged off the frame 2 by its' power, the jacks or anchor being properly.' set to effect thisde- Siredresult, and an undercut-ismade inthe wall of the coal. The primaryl cutting 'unit' 150 isindicated'in Fig. 1 as making this'cut acrossthe wall ofthe coal, and ywhen the cut has been made', the wall-offcoa'l will` have tlieappearan'ce shown in Fig. 4 with theund tv67.v Thfe feed -rope.40f is then` 12,5

to the -hook 46on thev frame nid he rimary cuttingunitdragsitselfg"l u'n ts-'own power up lover the skid 62, and'up, onto the frame 2, asindicated in" Fig. 3. In some seamssof coal the coal'isl 11.39"

not cut along the floor but the cutis vmade elsewhere'in the :seam such as at the 'top` o r side, and the coal is loosenedffrom its' bedlby explosives and 4expanded into the space made by' the out wherever'it. may be.

. It will be 'noted`that`tl1e primary cutting 4mately the middle point and one at each upper corner lextending upwardly at `anangle.` After these shot holes have been' g drilled'the proper' charge of powder or other explosives ,is introduced `and' the coal' is blasted first in the middle anvd'then Shots in the corners follow'one after the other. The eect of this shooting or blasting will beto cause :the coal tov expand and'become disrupted along lines of its cleavage; as indi# catedI1nF1gS. 3 and 5, and the lower coal expandedand 'disrupted from the center shot will settle down on to the floor formedJ by the undercut .67.. The upper' coal when shot will. expand into the space made by the settling of the lower coal, the front vcoal falling in loose lumps on the floor, leaving their native bed as indicated in Figs and 5. It is at this pointof the operation that the complete digging, lifting and conveying apparatus is brought into play, and power to opera-te the same is obtained from the motor of the primary cutting unit. the shaft is connected up `with the mechanism for operating the digging. lifting and conveying apparatus, as fully hereinbefore set forth.

The lever i9 is moved to drive the traction wheels 5, and the digging and conveying apparatus is brought up into proper position when the chain 5%, being driven by the connections described, causes the Scrapers or cutters 56 to eut under or undermine the body of coal which has been expanded and disrupted, forming a second undercut. and by this action d-islodging the-disrupted coal, so that it will drop onto the'pan 5i' and be conveyed by the tlights..55 along said pan until discharged into the-mine car 59.' By having the frame 2 set at an incline in the. manner indicated. it will be noticed that the conveyer flights and the cutters as they advance into the mass ot' coal. not only cut and dislodge. but wedge upwardly. so `with a lifting force under the overlying mass as .to assist the dislodgment of the coal b v further disrupting it along lines of its cleavage. This feature, however. is not strictly essential, and the same eil'ect may be obtained by advancing the machine on a plane parallel or substantially parallel with the iioor of the. mine. in case the cutters should Strike an obstruction in the floor and it is desirous to raise the machine Slightly so as to clear such obstruction, thel dog 65, is thrownpver, 'to .the position'indicated by. dotted linesin f Figs. 3 and if; and the machineslightly backed up, whereby;byfadvancing ltheginal chine, the dog will bite into the door ofthe. mine` and act to lift theiront end ofthe machine until the obstruction is passed, whereupon the machine is again lowered and the operation' continued as before. y y. 1 `in 'some seams' of coal vwhere conditions warrant or require, the'wall oicoall may be, out horizontally and sheared atv the endl or middle also, in order to provide 'more space for the coal to 4vexpand in ylits 'n'ative'bed After't has been expanded, .('and Ldo not limit myself to explosives inthis operation)"7 then theundermining and digging along the ioorvin the bottom coal will proceed until the coal is undermined and dugfrm beleefti and removed from its native bed. fProjefctf ing points on the uppera'ce of the 'flights A may be so made, (such as projectingfboltsf shown) as to assist in the 'digging,` y"and when taken in conjunction with thecuttingA and' scraping points on the end of the flight and an edge `on'the front edge of the flight,` it is obvious that the undermining ax'iddig'iA ging isedective. v 5 `YVhit Iclaim is:

\l. rlhe method of mining coalconsis'ting' 95 in undercutting the solid wall of coal, expanding and disruptingr the coal along lines of its cleavage, whereby it dislodgesand settles down into the undercut, subsequently undercutting this settled mass of coal and si? lo@ multaneously liftingit with a vertical forcetraveling laterally .in the plane of the first' -"cut to further disrupt the mass, along the lines of its cleavage, and simultaneously therewith dislodgingthe'mass of the dis-#1 rupted coal and conveying it away.

2. The lmethod of mining coal consisting in undercutting the solid 'wall o coalyei-4 panding the coal and disrupting it along' lines or' its cleavage, whereby it settles down in the undercut, subsequently under-cutting this mass of coal and lifting the settled mass with a vertical force traveling laterally in the plane ot the undercut, and simultaneously therewith dislodging the mass of coal and conveying it away.

The method of mining coal consisting in undercutting the solid mass of coal. exn 'panding and disrupting the coal along lines ol' its cleavage, whereby it settles down into the undercut. subsequently undercuttingtaier mass of 'settled coal along the floor ot' the original undercut and simultaneously therewith dislodging the mass of settled coal and conveying it away.

l. The method of mining coal consisting in undercutting the solidv of coal. ex,- panding and disrupting the coni along lines of its cleavage, whereby it settles d'on'n inte the undercut,,subsequently undermining this lio,

settled-mass o'fffeoal with a force traveling laterally along-:the Hooiof the original undercut `and Simultaneously therewith dislodging .the -mass of settled coal and con- '5 veying it away.

-1'(',lodging the coal along lines of its cleavage and intothe space made by thecut, making a second cut into the Adislodged coal, and simultaneously therewith introdu'cing into said second cut dislodging and -oonveying 15 foi-ces4 working in' th same plane as said second cut, whereby the. coalis dislodged and conveyed away.

6. The method :of mining coal consisting n efimaking ay ont in the wall of coal,- eirpan'd- '2'0f ing andfloos'ening the solid coalalong lines of its-cleavage, subsequently making an opening under the mass of loosened coal andin this opening applying a force-'traveling laterallyilgwhereby the coal mass is moved -and 25 fiirther'v-l'oosened. and simultaneously therewith dislodging'the mass of disrupted coal andconyeying it away.^ c A 7. The method of mining coal7 consisting vof making an opening in a solid wall of coal,

introducing an expanding and disruptingforce in the mass of solid coall thereby 'eX- panding'and loosening the solid coal along Alilies 'of its Cleavage, subsequentlyl making an opening under the expanded. andv loosened mass of coaland in this opening 1n- .tiodiioing a" continuousv traveling force to distort the mass of Aloosened coal andv si-v miiltaneously therewith dislodging the coal and moving ita-way. I

8.v The method of mining coal, consisting of making an opening in a 'solid seam 'or wall of Coal, introdiicingan ezpa-nding force' into said seam or wall of coal whereby the' solid mass of coal is moved into the opening and loosened along lines. of its cleavage, sub1' sequently making an opening in the mass of loosened coalandin'this latter opening ap- -plying forces to further move the loosenedmass of' Coal and Simultaneously therewith .'dislodging the-coal from the loosened mass and moving it laterally.

In testimony whereof, I the said HARRYA. I {UiiN havehereunto set my hand'.A

HARRY A. KUHN. i

lVitnesses'i RoBT. D. TOTTEN, y, JOHN F. HILL.4 

